


The Devil's Finest Trick

by The_Quiet_Place



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-01
Updated: 2015-04-01
Packaged: 2018-03-20 17:45:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3659418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Quiet_Place/pseuds/The_Quiet_Place
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyouko has come to some unfortunate conclusions about surviving the Magical Girl experience, despite what the others think. But some things even she didn't expect - like Akemi falling from the sky and Kaname disappearing on the same day. Someone's got to put the pieces together, but above all, someone's got to keep it real. [Kyouko & Homura centric] [Post-Rebellion]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Run, Baby, Run

 

 

You know you've made some seriously bad choices when selling your soul to kitty satan and then spending most of your time fighting 10-foot monsters carrying the burden of human sin with some nerve and a pointy stick is one of the less fucked up parts of your life.

What's fucked up is being stupid enough to get lured into a dark alley next to the arcade where you kicked the shit out of some handsy but-clearly-quite-popular asshole just a few days before. Being lured by some kid you don't know from Adam who pulls the 'lady someone's hurt' gambit with the big shiny eyes, the whole fallen-down-a-well story updated for the modern age. Yeah. Someone's hurt alright. It's me in like 5 seconds.

The asshole is back with a big swollen eye and a few of his friends. Couple of guys leaning at the entrance and exit. Can't see me anyway because I'm squashed to the wall next to the dumpster being leered at by some big lump with a bike-chain and probably a tiny hard-on and on the other side some short kid with evil eyes and a bumfluff moustache. The guy himself is a scrawny little rat with a few ratty piercings, inch of bleach blonde stubble on top, but he's giving it the big one in front of his buddies.

"You know who I am?"

I say nothing. Just give him the  _look_ , the one that shrivels most guys' nutsacks. I don't know him. I don't usually run round these parts. But I know his type.

"Hey, bitch. I'm talking to you."

I shrug. "Some creep who corners a girl five to one?"

"Hey, fuck you!" He gets nice and close. One of his eyes is wandering off. The big lump is breathing heavy, the kid just watching, waiting.

I sneer at him, fold my arms. Look like I'm over it. Doesn't matter that there's one of me and five of them.

Ignore the pulse pounding in my chest and neck and mind racing.

I can't transform. Obviously. I don't have the same power as a civilian, nowhere near. I can scrap, I can give a good punch, jump high, run fast. But I'm still just a 16 year old girl. A lanky one.

He's leering right in my face now. I didn't even see him before. Felt his hand on my butt, and just turned and whacked him so hard he went smack bang into one of those glass-front crane games. K.O. Stars and little birds. Got barred for my trouble, too. Bastards. But it was stupid. Impulsive.

I've been in this kind of situation before and it hasn't always ended well. If I kick off and take one well aimed crack to the stomach or temple or jaw I could be down. I know because I've been on both ends of that one. And then they can take their time doing whatever the fuck it is they want. Let's not go there.

"You're a stuck-up, frigid bitch." He snarls. Sprays a bit of spit on my face. Nice.

For a moment I have the incredibly stupid idea of calling the others for help.

Like Sayaka doesn't already think I'm a waster.

Like Mami hasn't dealt with enough of my crap already.

And then there's Sleeping Beauty.

_You got yourself into this mess. You're on your own._

I let myself wobble a bit. Swallow. Unfold my arms. Look around. Suss out the terrain.

"Whatever man." I say. "Look, I get it. My bad." He smirks. This is what he wants.

"That's not gonna cut it, babe. You disrespected me, you know?" Hand on chest. "Hurt me real bad."

The lackeys snigger. I play with my sleeve. Bite my lip.

"So me and my boys here…"

"I'm sorry!" I say. Raise my hands. He leans in, one hand against the wall by my head, the other touching my waist. He's dumb. Really dumb.

"We're thinking—"

I smash my head down on the bridge of his nose, duck, and deliver a roundhouse kick inside the knee of the big guy. Asshole goes down. Lump bends double.  _I can do this_. Then the evil one grabs my hair and I hear a  _shnick_ noise that sends a jolt of ice straight through my heart.

I elbow backwards – feel it connect – he lets of my hair as I spin round to meet him, and lunges forwards with the knife. There's a burst of fire in my left forearm but then the heel of my hand meets his nose and turns it into a squashed tomato. I shove him and run.

The guy at the end of the alley is waiting for me, hunkers down, arms spread. I hurtle over boxes in my way and see another dumpster coming up. There's running feet behind me, angry yells.

I leap up onto the dumpster and then throw myself forwards, not sure if I can make it. If I land short I'm fucked.

The sole of my boot lands smack on his forehead and he's out.

I hit the floor, and then book it, as fast as I can, running out into the road in front of a truck I'm like 95% sure is gonna stop, hearing the screeching and swearing behind me, buying some time. I duck through traffic and slip down a quiet street full of shops selling second-hand consoles and cameras and whatever anyone else can steal to sell for a quick buck, and then head left, right, round the back of one of the cafes, scrambling over some cages full of cardboard boxes, up onto an air-con unit and pull myself onto a flat roof where I crouch and catch my breath, grab my hoody off and press the inside to my bleeding arm. It's ok. Flesh wound. Still hurts like a bitch though.

I can hear them spilling across the road. They come down the main alley but then they keep going, chagrining off all bravado, no substance. That's four hurt egos now instead of one. I know they won't go to the cops, no one likes a snitch, but…not good.

Trouble. More trouble. Guess I'm not coming back here after all. Figures. Back to the old. Same dance machine I've been playing on for how long now. At least I won't run into any small-fry g-man wannabes there. None I haven't made my peace with. Might have been why I left, come to think of it. Wanted some excitement.

I can practically hear Sayaka's voice.  _If you'd just come to school you'd have something to do all day._

_Yeah. But I'm not like you and Mami. I'm not gonna come out with a fistful of certificates and land my dream job. Might not even live that long._

_You're kidding yourselves._

I pull out the old phone she gave me and look at the time through the cracks. Early. Lunchtime, even. Damn it.

Sayaka told me not to come to school during lunches because the teachers give her the second degree if I get spotted. Don't think they approve of a nice girl like her having a delinquent friend like me. Pretend they care where I am or what I'm doing but half of them think I'm a teen hooker and the other worse. I'm not, by the way. Hookers get paid. I have to take what I can get.

I've got some change but that's mainly for food. So lounging about in the cinema's out.

Could go robbing but I'm still jumpy and I think I got that kid's blood on me when I popped his nose – not to mention a nice big emo slash in my arm - so they'd see me a mile off. Sayaka hates it, hates it  _hates it_  when I steal. Mami just sighs. She knows me better. Somehow when she's disappointed it's worse.

Guess I just wanna go and sit somewhere awhile. Chill. Maybe grab a nap before the real excitement starts.

Ok. I've got enough for cheap, packet crap to eat and a magazine. I'll just wrap my hoodie round my arm. Sort it out later. Plus I think it's my turn according to the rota. Not like I don't go instead of either of them all the time anyway.

I'm gonna play Prince Charming.

* * *

Come to think of it I've got the key most of the time too. I let myself and a shadow sweeps away from my down the middle of the room.

_Tick. Swish_. Still haven't figured how to turn the fucking thing off. I started having dreams about it slicing me in half when I first slept here. Dunno why  _she_  felt she had to have a guillotine/pendulum thing in her front room but whatever. Not the weirdest thing about her.

I chuck the carrier bag on the couch as I walk past. On second thoughts I grab a plastic-packed sweet roll and tear it open as I clump up the stairs.

There's a nice thick layer of dust on the desk which I've been ignoring for weeks. Shows how long it is since the others were here. I crack the window and as usual, drag the chair round, back facing the bed, straddle it, rip the bread up and start shoving bits in my mouth.

"Yo." I say. "You'll never guess what happened this morning."

Akemi lies on the bed, stretched out on her back, hands up to her chest, eyes shut.

As it is her hair is the only thing that moves as a nice cool draft comes in. And that weird Gem of hers, bubbles floating from bottom to top over and over like one of those lights with the big globs of oil in. Lava lamps. It's pretty hypnotising.

I check her pulse, check she's breathing, that QB hasn't put a pillow over her face or anything. Same as always. Princess in the glass casket. Only I think Sleeping Beauty pricked herself on a thorn or something feeble like that.

"This asshole. The one who grabbed my ass Tuesday and I smacked him. You remember?"

_No, she doesn't._

"He got some little brat to come over and say, like," I put on a high-pitched, whiny voice "'oooh, miss, someone's hurt, my friend's hurt, help me'. And can you believe it, I went into this alley and I was like, where's your friend, and the kid's gone and I turn round and that asshole's coming at me with his shitty little gang…"

I close my eyes while I talk. Kind of easier to imagine someone's listening that way.

Don't know why I do this.

But who can I tell? The other two…they've got school. They've got dreams. They pretend they've got some kind of life with a future and a good job and a boyfriend and the picket fence and all that bullshit. Like that's gonna happen. Like all the normals are ready to give us a free pass for life because we're fighting for love and justice or something. Get real. I gave up on all that a long time ago. Just thought when I met these guys that it could be different. Got a bit idealistic. A bit soft. Living a charmed life.

Guess seeing the strongest of you taken out. That and the fact it's a losing battle. There's more of  _them_ all the time. They're growing. Call it credit crunch, bad economy, decline of religion, whatever. People are  _depressed_. No wonder the wraiths are having a field day out there. A picnic.

"So I just about got out of there, anyway. Guess I can't go back now. It kind of sucks, there were some machines I hadn't been on. Can't believe that kid pulled a knife on me. He got me as well. I should probably sort it. I will in a minute. It's not bad, just pissed blood a bit."

I know it's a weird habit. We weren't friends. I mean, we fought together to start with, but that didn't last long. Not with Mami's methods and hers. At the time I kind of agreed. Not fair to go blowing shit up and wrecking the place when normal people have to live there.  _Not fair_ to risk them with strong attacks.  _Not fair_  to leave small groups of the wraiths and maybe have one or two casualties in return for us all surviving the big ones.

_Not fair. Not fair._

"Life isn't fair." I tell her. "You get it. The other two don't yet."

She gave me a gun once.

I always felt like she was taking the piss a little bit, like she knew what you were gonna say already, something too serious about her, but we  _talked_. Sometimes about shit the other two didn't want to hear.

I crumple the wrapper in my hand, every crumb picked out.

"Well. See you."

I'm gonna go downstairs, have something to eat, read some crappy magazines. God help me but I'm getting kind of into the ridiculous stories about cousin's girlfriend's brother's shock secret and wives killing their husbands. I get that it's meant to be a guilty pleasure, but it's kind of not even guilty anymore. Not when you know what people's lives are really like.

I feel a sudden shiver. Not the draft from the window, a shiver like static running through you, a series of zaps. _Power_. Power not like mine. Cold power. Stronger than ever.

I turn, stare hard.

As quickly as it came, it goes.

It happens. Kyubey said we'd probably be able to tell when she was gonna wake up. Got all excited the first time. But it keeps happening, then nothing.

I plod to the kitchen and grab the first aid kit out the cupboard. Healing factor will sort it eventually but might as well do something. Sayaka could just touch the damn thing and bam, gone, but I don't think 'I walked into a door' is gonna cut it. Sit at the table with its one chair. Antiseptic stings. Try and think of something else.

Now, Sayaka. Sayaka wants Akemi to wake up. Desperately. Not because she likes her. She  _hates_  her. Wouldn't piss on her if she was on fire. Not that she'd ever say that. She has nice parents. She lives in a nice house and goes to a nice school. She's a nice girl.

She wants to know about  _Madoka_.

I don't think there's anything much more to know about Madoka than I've seen on the side of a milk carton below an old picture of a girl smiling nicely for the camera. Sweet. A little dim.

Kaname Madoka. 14. Missing.

I was sat here, in this room with Mami, watching a broken bag of bones breathe in and out, just, when I got the text. The same night. Gone. Yeah. It's a coincidence. But I don't believe in life having any deep meaning or anything being destined to happen. So for me it's pretty much all a coincidence. Just some are shittier than others.

I'm selfish. I want her to wake up too. Because I don't know how much longer we can go on like this.  _That man_ , my father. He used to talk about the end of the world. To think, if he was around now, people might actually listen.

I pull the bandage tight and wrap it all up. Little bulky under my sleeve. It'll pass.

That shiver again. Not usually so close together. Goosebumps on my skin. But I've given up hoping. Whatever happens, happens.

_Wake up. Stay asleep. It's all the same to me._

I'm tired. I'll eat lunch and sleep here. Akemi won't mind. Then wake up and fight for my life again. Maybe tomorrow will be different. Bit of excitement. Bit more excitement than getting slashed by some scumbag who doesn't know I could turn his head to red bean paste with one move. Something different. Anything.

Sometimes I think about running away.

But not yet.

Not today.

* * *

**AN:**  I get the feeling this is going to be a real love it or hate it experience. As you can tell if you've seen Rebellion, certain things are a bit off. Kyoko in particular is a bit more cynical then at the end of the film. And therin lies the plot, I guess. So yeah, next chapter...at some point. Suggestions/concrit welcome. Point out any stupid errors. Tell me about your day.

Oh yeah, this is a cross-post from the Pit of Voles. I've never used this site before.... 

 


	2. Sunday, Monday, Happy Days

When you're in the fog the wraiths can be 10 foot tall or small enough to gnaw through your shins. They can have anyone's face. I've killed my dad a few times before now. They stopped after they figured I was just taking them down harder.

Cars rush past on the roads above and below, lights dim. We're on spaghetti junction at the entrance to the city ( _welcome to Mitakihara, population more crushed hopes and dreams than actual people_ ), where the motorway is all spiralled up like a curly fry because some urban planner in his glass tower decided to go all fancy and modern and forgot about what roads are actually used for.

This stretch is closed, though. Can just about see the blinking orange lights on the flimsy little barriers, cranes and maintenance platforms stretching up either side in the dark. Lights fizzling in and out. Big stretches of pure black. All we need is some pissed guy at the wheel to fall asleep and we could be a long streak of jam. Probably not though.

Probably.

Me and Sayaka stand back to back. It's my fault we're here. I fell. Planted my spear smack dab in one of their shoulders and it lurched forwards for my left arm, the one with the big slash down it. Like a fucking idiot I flinched instead of dodging. Slapped me round the head instead. Lights out for a second. And over the edge I went. A few metres from taking the big plunge. Hit this road instead. Lucky me. Lucky, lucky me.

And of course, Sayaka jumped down after me. Didn't think how we were going to get back up.

So it's time for the new plan. A plan we're all pretending Akemi wouldn't have suggested. So I did, instead.

"You ok?" Sayaka pants.

"Not bad, not bad." I say, grin, try not to look too crazed.  _Nothing. Just tripped and fell off a goddamn motorway. That kind of shit could happen to anyone, right? No one saw anything. Nothing suspicious here, ossifer._

"You ready?"

_I think I've fucked my leg up but….we're not going far. It'll be fine._ "Yeah, I'm ready."

She's so close I could reach round and hold her hand. Maybe at one point I would have done. Still want to.

" _Mami?"_

" _I'm here. The wraiths are approaching."_

Her voice sort of vibrates in the fog. She's up top, where I fell from. Quick bullet to the back of the neck of the last ones left up there as they watched us fall, and hopped up on the reverse of a billboard where the muggles wouldn't see her. She doesn't sound happy.

" _Are you ok with this_?" I say (think).

A sigh.

" _I know how you feel, Mami_ ,  _but there's so many of them….and it's not putting anyone in danger."_ Sayaka says.

" _Except us."_  I point out. Sayaka digs her elbow into my ribs. Long pause. She's thinking.

" _I understand. Please be careful."_

"There they are." Sayaka mutters. I see them too.

They start out staggering, bobbing, trailing those white robes, heads blurry as they change and smoke. Even now they scare me. Is that stupid? But I always did have a healthy fear of ghosts and shit like that. Maybe it was all the cosy bedtime stories about 7-winged angels and 9 headed snakes and spirits and the end of the world. Everything going up in a spray of lava and trumpets. Except us, of course. Maybe. If we were good. If we were worthy.

Until I became….this.

The sounds of cars rushing past, horns beeping,  _dum-dum-dum_  beats from distant speakers...it all slacks off and I start to hear  _them_ , their groaning, shrieking.

We're literally pressed together now. Sayaka's back is damp. We're both sweating. I let my left arm drop back, brush the hem of her skirt. It  _hurts_. Fuck. Healing factor not as good when you get hurt as a civilian.

"Wait," she mutters, "wait."

The first heavy _booms_  of thunder come and with a whizz and a crack the wraiths start going down. There's more, though. There's always more. They're making progress. About 10 metres from us now on my side. Less.  _Whiz. Crack_. I'm breathing in and out of my nose. Smell of gunpowder. Exhausts. Sayaka's stiff as a board against me.

"Tell me when." I say. My eyes are tracing a path from the nearest maintenance platform, onto the cockpit of the crane, up the length of it, jump up to the next one, keep running, keep going higher. Parkour for the suicidal.

5 metres.

Am I going to be able to make it?

We'll see.

_Whiz. Crack_.

They're filling up the whole damn road. Stream of bobbing heads. Pixels pouring out of where eyes should be. At least five in a row at the front. Human-sized. Bigger. Suddenly a tremor goes through them. They're gonna rush us. I know it.

"Now?" I yell. Voice breaks a little bit.

"Wait!"

"What if they—"

Sayaka's hand brushes against mine.

I wait.

_Stay cool, stay cool, stay cool_

They hurl themselves forwards and their claws are coming out, wicked sharp, slash your throat, tear your face off –

"Now!" Sayaka screams.

I throw my palms forward and the barrier erupts upwards with a bone-rattling  _clang,_ just as the wraiths smash against it. Already it's pressing down on me. Feels kinda like carrying a hundred extra pounds. Soul Gem gleaming like crazy. And the  _noise_ —

I shut my eyes. Think about the barrier. Not about their bare skulled-faces and them trying to batter it down. Standing on top of each other. Zombie hordes. I can tell Sayaka's scared. Trapped. Can't do anything but watch.

" _Mami—"_ I call out.

" _Get ready! 3,"_

Barrier creaking. Or that might be my bones.

" _2"_

Got to do this. Hang on. Don't think about dying.  _Don't think about dying don't think about dying don't think about_

"1!"

"TIRO FINALE!"

I wrench the barrier down and lash out. Slash a row of throats. Sayaka screeches. Not even words. Sword sweeping with a  _sshhnnng_.

Yellow light.

I pull Sayaka away. Got to get to the side of the road.

The wraiths look up and scream.

Long high whistle as the fireball comes down.

We reach the barrier. Claws rake down my back. I leap.

Impact. Road cracks apart behind me. Ears ringing. Can't hear anything.

Maintenance platform rushing up. But not close enough.

Not gonna make it.

Sometimes when you think you're going to die time slows down and you see the lip of the platform rising up because you're dropping and you throw your arms up but it's not gonna be enough because your leg didn't fix itself after all and there has to be something else somewhere else to land but it's the dead space in the middle of the carousel, the big black hole, this lip is your last chance and you blew it, too far now, arc ended now it's just the big fall, looking up as it speeds away arms still stretched out, Sayaka's face, and this could be it, game over, and will they put your picture in the paper, will they remember you, do the staff at the group home know who you are now, what will your friends do, will they keep going, or will they fall back, and was it worth it, all this, did you do all you wanted to do, did you win, or did you lose, and will it hurt—

I just scream but I can't even hear myself because of the wind rushing in my ears.

The motorway is crumbling above me and chunks of concrete shoot past.

And then

down

come

the ribbons.

* * *

It's all a bit of a blur still.

We get a taxi for once. Pretty sure the other two pretended I was drunk. Yeah, I feel pretty buzzed, to be honest. Sort of like everything's going a bit too fast. Wobbly legs. Leaning on Sayaka's shoulder in the back. She'd grabbed me when Mami hauled me back up and wouldn't let me go until the car got there. I'd….just stood.

Mami's giving it a bit of chatter in the front. Making light.  _Yes, she's our friend. We worry about her, but it's alright….she's a good girl….yes, I suppose she will have a headache tomorrow._ Laugh along. Nothing to see here. Just two sweet young private-school girls and their silly friend. Everyone's done it. Even nice Mr Taxi-man with his very interested eyes in the rear-view mirror.

In some part of my head I'm still falling. Manage not to puke though. Strong stomach. I'd have to have, really. Guess I even hate to waste food after I've eaten it. Just loll about in my seat.  _It's fine. She caught me. It's fine. I'm alive. Just another night. One less mistake to make next time._

Sayaka, staring out the window, looks…..upset. I shut my eyes. Just for a little bit.

And jolt awake to the passenger door opening.

Mami gives a pretty generous tip and probably tips him a wink too.  _Just between us teenage girls and late night taxi drivers_.

Sayaka says something cheery, rolls her eyes at me when she thinks I won't see. I mutter something at him. We go up to Mami's in a tin-can-pretending-to-be-an-elevator you normally couldn't pay me a year's worth of convenience store coupons to get in. Everyone's dog tired. Good result, pockets bulging with the devil dice. Keep us apple-cheeked and chipper a bit longer. Happy days.

Happy days.

We get sat round Mami's little glass table for a debrief. Even though it's the middle of the night and Sayaka actually has a bed to get to, rather than a series of couches. This is an Akemi-ism. Another one. That and things like 'planning', 'tactics', and 'blowing shit up'. Takes a while for anyone to talk, though. Drained. I'm coming round. Or telling myself that.

"Jesuuuuuusss." I say.

"Can say that again." Sayaka mutters. I think of doing just that but now probably isn't the time.

Mami manages to paste on a smile. "Well, we're all still here."

"That was too close." Says Sayaka.

"We got 'em all though." I point out.

"You nearly died."

I shrug.  _Don't think about falling. It's fine._  "I didn't, though. So it's ok."

Her fist comes down on the table, rattles the cups. Me and Mami jump.

"It's not okay, Kyouko….!"

"Sayaka," Says Mami. Gentle but firm voice. Senpai mode engage. Objective: unify kouhai in peace and love.

Sayaka lets out a big long breath and her shoulders drop. "I'm sorry. It's just…."

"Hey. The plan  _worked_. Guess I just hurt my leg and didn't realise."  _Bullshit. I knew_. "It was kinda intense down there. Shit happens. We got the wraiths and we're all still here thanks to Mami. Maybe we just gotta be more careful next time."

Mami's eyes latch onto me holding the sleeve of my left arm. You might not know it, but behind those sleepy eyes and enormous jugs, she's sharp. Smart. Makes sense. She's like me in that way. No parents. Get round the system, pay your own bills. Do things your own way.

I stare her out.  _Don't say anything, for fuck's sake._

But then, Mami can even be ruthless.

"Kyouko, earlier, before you fell…for the first time, I mean…"

Sayaka's head whips round.

_Thanks. Thanks a lot._

"….it seemed like your arm was hurt?"

It's said like one, but it's not a question. I flinched. I never flinch. She knows it. I know that she knows that I know that…you get the picture.

"Did it?" Oh,  _shit. I'm a way better liar than this._

"Yeah. Mami, you're right." Sayaka frowns at me, gives me the _sincere_  look. Don't think so many people have seen that. It's some kind of thing. Not the happy-go-lucky Sayaka. Not the everyday,  _oh it's fine, he's happy, Hitomi's happy, where's the harm_? Not the,  _I got grounded again, I guess sensei said something to my mom. Guess I'll be sneaking out the window again!_  Subtitles:  _I have something to lose, and I'm losing it, but this is important. So I'll put that aside. Smile nicely for the camera._

The harder one. Life-or-death. The big boy league. The one that's only really been around since Pinkie upped and disappeared. Bubble burst. Things lost. Of course, I recognise that look. Seen it in the mirror enough times.

"Let me see your arm."

"It's fine."  _That is literally the worst thing you could have said._ I shrug. "It's just a scrape."

She turns, leans in, hands on the ground, head tilted up. Does she do this on purpose?

Do I kind of wish she did it on purpose?

"Kyouko."

This is not an argument I'm going to win so I grunt and roll my sleeve up. Bandage looks like a kid put it on and I bat her hand away, tear it off. Of course the wound is gone, like the nice big slashes in my back and everything else that was bruised and bust up, solved with a quick blast of her healing factor, but there's a scar. A long, ugly scar.

"How…"

"I got into a little fight."

"With  _what_?"

Mami's just sat there with her hands folded in her lap. Might as well be saying  _you got yourself in this situation, you get yourself out of it._

"Some teenage dickheads."

"They  _cut_ you?"

The way she looks at me makes my heart drop. Maybe it's the big baby blues. Little red round the edges. Makes me wanna hug her, but I know she's pissed off, too. I suppose if someone had slashed her I'd rip their dick off. Mami too.

"Yeah…it's fine though, I dished it back out." I mime punching, crack my knuckles.

"That is  _not_  fine! What if they'd stabbed you? I can't believe you didn't  _tell_  me!" She looks over at Mami, who nods.

_I'm too tired for this_. "Guys. I get it. But maybe this ain't the time. We can talk about it tomorrow….later today. We're all still here, in one piece. Yeah?"

Mami nods. Reluctantly. Must be hard sitting on that damn fence all the time.

Sayaka shakes her head at me. Turns away.  _Miki Sayaka_ ,  _tough, competent magical girl, defender of justice, who will not cry over something silly like being exhausted and still full of adrenaline and seeing her friend plunge to her death, just about, finding out someone with a knife hurt her and she still wouldn't say anything._ Damn it.

"Fine. I'm gonna head home." She says.

"Are you okay going back? Would you like me to come?"

"It's ok, Mami." She gets to her feet. Looks down at me. "We _are_  going to talk about this."

"I know."

"I just—" She takes a deep breath, bites her lip. "I'm glad you're ok."

"Yeah, me too."

Mami gets up too, comes round, hand on Sayaka's shoulder. Some gentle nothing in her ear as she steers her away. I rest my forehead on the cool glass and listen for the door shutting.

Click.

Mami comes back in, squats, puts her arms around me.

If I didn't have a reputation and all that I'd say a lump came into my throat.

After a minute she sighs and says, "I'll get your duvet."

"Thanks."

I have a duffel bag/floordrobe in the living room and dig through that for something to sleep in although what I really want to do it just conk out in the sofa in full uniform and slobber all over Mami's nice cushions. She comes in when I'm halfway changing but doesn't look.

Probably.

I'm not gonna say I've never sneaked a peek myself. I'm not sure the others know I'm that way out. Or even if I do, really. Not that it matters.

She leans over the back of the sofa.

"What a day."

"Mm."

"They're getting worse."

"Yeah."

"I don't suppose Akemi….."

"Still the same."

"I'm sorry I haven't visited much recently."

_What you saying sorry to me for?_  I shrug. "Don't think she's too bothered. Not like I have much better to do most days."

"I suppose not." Wry smile from Mami. Or that could just be her trying not to yawn.

I drag myself up and plop down onto the sofa, hands behind my head, look up at her.

"Thanks. For saving me."

Proper smile this time. "Don't mention it. I'm sure you'll return the favour."

"Yep." My eyelids weigh a ton all of a sudden. Two Mamis looking down at me. Wouldn't be so bad.

"Night, Kyouko."

"Night," I say, or try to. Comes out as a junkie slur.

There's a click as she switches the light off, then pads upstairs. Dark, wonderful dark. It's so good to be warm. To be on a nice soft couch. To have a blanket. Not to have hunger gnawing my guts out. Not to be listening for the next scream. So good to be _alive_. For one more day, anyway.

Happy days.

Happy, happy days.

There's a little shiver just as I drop off. Goosebumps.  _Probably just a draft._

_A cold, purple draft._

* * *

**AN:**  Here we are. Wherever here is.

 


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